Pagan Community Notes is a series focused on news originating from within the Pagan community. Reinforcing the idea that what happens to and within our organizations, groups, and events is news, and news-worthy. Our hope is that more individuals, especially those working within Pagan organizations, get into the habit of sharing their news with the world. So let’s get started!
According to the Londonderry Sentinel, “the Limavady Borough Council is considering” replacing the missing Manannan statue with one that “would be made of mild steel and would stand two-to-three times as tall as the original.” The paper reports that Development Services Officer Valerie Richmond reported, “In all probability, despite extensive searches it is unlikely that the sculpture will be returned. Council’s views are sought on how they would wish to progress.”
Speaking to the Derry Journal, councilman Gerry Mullin said that he would ” ‘absolutely’ be supporting a proposal to replace the iconic statue of Manannán Mac Lir.” But he added that he doesn’t believe it needs to be 2-3x the size. The issue will be discussed tomorrow at a Feb.10 Council Meeting.
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The Solar Cross Temple, based in California, has announced that it no longer is seeking to create an urban temple space. As the Board explained, the economic downturn “dried up” the fundraising efforts for several years. As a result, the Board put the entire project on hold. After several of years of waiting and watching, they have concluded that the community “doesn’t really want to support a physical structure.”
However, as written in the announcement, “[Their] work continues, and temple members study and honor the Gods in their own homes, and gather together monthly in backyards and rented spaces.” Any money raised in previous years will either be returned to the original donors, if requested, or will be given to the New Alexandrian Library and used for special Solar Cross projects.
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On Feb. 6, the Druid College, originally founded in New York, announced the opening of its UK branch. The new location will be led by Joanna van der Hoeven and Robin Herne. Together with its sister site in Maine (U.S.) the Druid College will host a “three-year, intensive study” for those interested in taking their spiritual studies further.
In a press release, organizers said, “We saw a need for a programme for people who desire to go deeper, for those who wish to be in service, to fill the role of priest for their community and the land they dwell in.” The college accepts people of “all walks and intent” into their first year studies program. The Druid College is not accredited and offers no degree program.
In Other News
- Green Egg has announced that it is now under new management and will no longer be publishing in a print format. In a recent press release, new editor Hollis Taylor and
Ariel Monserrat said, “Hollis plans to modernize Green Egg bringing the magazine into the new millenium. Green Egg will not be publishing printed issues, as in the past, but will have a large team of volunteer writers who will be contributing to carrying on the legacy of Green Egg.” Once up and running, they hope to publish an article every day. - Documentary filmmaker Sam Carroll has produced a 66 minute film that tells Wiccan Priestess Darla Wynne‘s story. The film, titled Bedevil: Never Back Down, details the horrific challenges that Wynne faced after moving from Alaska to a small town in South Carolina, and how she eventually overcame her fear and stood up to the city council. Bedevil is entered in the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and will be screened on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 9 p.m.
- Shekhinah Mountainwater’s popular book, Ariadne’s Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic, is now available in digital format for the Kindle. This release is part of a larger project to capture and share “Shekhinah’s wonderful legacy … music, writings, creations of any kind.” The organizers of this project are asking anyone who might have such things to contact them at shekhinahmemories@gmail.com.
- The Pagan Educational Network has published the Feb 2015 edition of its newsletter “Water.” In its pages, PEN makes a call for books to assist in its Prison chaplaincy work. While the organization welcomes any book donations, it is specifically looking for copies of Raymond Buckland’s The Complete Book of Witchcraft and Christopher Penzack’s The Sons of the Goddess.
- Patheos has started a new blog series focusing on art and religion. Christine Hoff Kraemer, Pagan Channel editor, explained further, “In this interfaith series, writers explore how visual art may persuade, proselytize, or reveals truth. Pagan contributors include visionary painter Paul B. Rucker, Zen Pagan Tom Swiss, and mixed media artist Aaminah Shakur.”
- PantheaCon, the largest such conference in the U.S., begins this Friday, Feb. 13 and runs through Monday, Feb. 16 in San Jose, California.
That is it for now. Have a nice day.
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“We saw a need for a programme for people who desire to go deeper, for those who wish to be in service, to fill the role of priest for their community and the land they dwell in”
This 1000 times!
Myself and some others got slagged off no end when we suggested that modern Druids were not fulfilling those roles and therefore didn’t really deserve the title of the priesthood.
I really hope this college does well
Hrm. Well, I think the original MacLir statue was a nice size, but making the replacement bigger and harder to destroy isn’t a bad message, either. 🙂
But, come to think of it, maybe he could use the rest of his boat. 🙂
Rather than a statue, I’d opt for something like a standing stone or obelisk on the order of 20 tons or more.
The trailer video about Darla Wynne looks pretty intense.
Yeah, she’s a no-shit kind of Witch who has been through hell, just for taking a stand. I gotta see that video!
I am happy that there is yet another Druid College in the works. Folks should know that there are a number of Druid Schools based in the USA and elsewhere that have been training Druid Priests and Priestesses for decades, both online and in person. One such is The Order of White Oak http://www.whiteoakdruids.org and New England based (but on line internationally) is The Tribe of the Oak http://www.tribeoftheoak.com. Others include ADF, The Henge of Keltria, RDNA (Reformed Druids of North America).
The latest news on the Manannán mac Lir statue is looking a little less positive: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/councillors-to-decide-if-mannanan-mac-lir-statue-will-be-replaced-1-6571067
One of the councillors is against replacing the statue, saying he always felt it was too “paganistic,” and concerns about cost are being raised. If cost is the only real sticking point then there’s been plenty of public support for some sort of fundraiser that would raise the cash in no time at all, although the council should surely realise that a replacement will attract a lot of tourists from all over the world who would bring economic benefits to the area as well, far outweighing the cost of the statue itself. I think deciding against replacing the statue would be a huge mistake because it would simply be a validation of the illegal actions of the thieves.
While it does seem unlikely that the original statue will be found, we can still hope for justice and a positive outcome. Just over a week ago Gaol Naofa released a video that has a prayer for justice that people are welcome to join in with and share if they want to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lSm23YBt00